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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25905463">Like Autumn Rain</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriusenthusiast/pseuds/siriusenthusiast'>siriusenthusiast</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Drabble, Drabble Collection, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 12:55:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25905463</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriusenthusiast/pseuds/siriusenthusiast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This will be a collection of connected ZoroxTashigi drabbles that occasionally enter my head and never leave... will be updated semi-regularly (hopefully)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Roronoa Zoro &amp; Tashigi, Roronoa Zoro/Tashigi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Date Night</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In my head, this happens at some point after Loguetown and Alabasta, but before Punk Hazard (if the Strawhats spent a little more time in Water7 before sh*t hit the fan)... I know it doesn't make sense just suspend your disbelief. Also, Koby is with Smoker and Tashigi in Water7 because I said so. Enjoy!<br/>*I don't own One Piece</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zoro was irritated. He had been wandering around town for almost twenty minutes now, searching for a quiet place to have a drink. Well, sufficiently quiet, he thought. He didn’t want to attract too much attention to himself, but he also didn’t want to deal with any of the typical rowdiness you would encounter on a Saturday night in Water7. Every pub he came across was either eerily empty or so packed that there were hardly any seats left. He was about to give up and call it a night when he happened to spot a little pub on the street corner. It was smaller than most of the other bars he had come across in the city, but well-kept and seemed to be relatively popular. There were enough people inside that no one took notice of his entry, but it wasn’t too loud either. Mostly couples and smaller groups.</p><p>To his immense relief, the bartender hadn’t recognized him when he ordered his drink. He intended to retire to a quiet spot at the back of the pub to drink in peace when suddenly he heard a sharp gasp from behind him and the feeling of someone grasping his shoulder. He immediately shot back, instinctively reaching for his swords when his eyes landed on his target.</p><p>“Glasses?” he blurts out, in surprise. It definitely was her. Her black eyes glaring at him through those red-rimmed glasses. But something was… off.</p><p>“You!” she exclaimed, equally surprised it seemed, to see him. Her cheeks were flushed in what he thought was anger at first, but upon further scrutiny he realized her entire demeanour was wrong. Her usually tense, squared shoulders were relaxed and even more unusual, exposed, in a sleeveless red blouse which was tucked into a pair of dark trousers. Her practical black hiking boots were swapped out for a pair of sandals which he couldn’t help but think would be completely useless for any sort of combat. Even more strange was the fact that she did not seem to have her sword strapped around her waist.</p><p>“Are you drunk?” he asked, confused.</p><p>“What? No, I- that’s none of your business” she spluttered indignantly. “What are you doing here, Roronoa?”</p><p>“That’s none of your business” he retorted.</p><p>“It <em>is</em> actually my business. If you think I’m about to let you go now…”</p><p>Zoro actually laughed at this. “What are you going to do, fight me? Without a weapon?”</p><p>Tashigi looked down, as if just remembering that she did not have her sword on her which seemed only to vex her further “Well, I’m still not letting you out of my sight, Roronoa!”</p><p>“Yeah, whatever, can we at least sit down so I can have my drink?” If she wanted to stick around, he couldn’t care less as long as he could drink his sake.</p><p>She conceded and followed him to the back of the pub where they sat in silence while Zoro sipped his drink. She would occasionally shoot him a suspicious look as if to catch him attempting to escape but did not say anything.</p><p>“Do you normally wander around unarmed at night?” he asked, curious. She did not seem like the type to willingly part with her sword.</p><p>“Of course not. I just… well tonight I…” she blushed “I had a date.”</p><p>Zoro laughed again at this. “Clearly, it didn’t go very well.”</p><p>She blushed even more furiously “How would you know how it went? You weren’t there.”</p><p>“Because you wouldn’t be drunk in a pub with me for company if it had, would you?”</p><p>He could tell he was provoking her, but he didn’t care. It was her fault for bothering him. She could leave any time she wanted.</p><p>“I’m not drunk. I just had a bit of wine at the restaurant.”</p><p>“You don’t look like you can handle your liquor anyway.” He didn’t want to admit it, but some part of him found it fun to rile her up. It was so easy.</p><p>She glared at him through her glasses “I’m a marine, have you forgotten? Don’t underestimate my tolerance for drink.”</p><p>“And I’m a pirate” he retaliated.</p><p>—</p><p>That, it turns out, was a bold-faced lie. Only a few shots in and Tashigi was so drunk, she could barely walk. Zoro was regretting ever challenging her. He should have known that she wouldn’t have backed down under any circumstances. She was too proud. What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t leave her, drunk and unarmed in the middle of town at night. How did he always seem to find himself stuck with this woman?</p><p>“Oi, Glasses” he helped her up to her feet, “You need to tell me where your base is. I’m taking you there.”</p><p>“I’ll find my own way, thanks.” She attempted to leave on her own, taking a few steps but was swaying so badly she almost knocked over a customer and his drink on her way out.</p><p>“Don’t be stupid.” He placed a hand on her back, guiding her out of the pub. “Now, which way is your base?”</p><p>Tashigi still looked annoyed and a little disoriented, but pointing a finger to the right, she said “It’s only about ten minutes away from here...”</p><p>It took them half an hour to get there. Tashigi, getting more disoriented as time went on, was no longer able to lead the way and so they both had to rely on Zoro’s sense of direction. He had seen the marine base in the city before, he usually took note of these things upon their arrival to a new place, and he vaguely remembered where it was but every building in this city looked the same to him and they’d gotten lost multiple times. It occurred to him this wasn’t the first time he would visit a base with this particular marine. The first time had been Loguetown.</p><p>Loguetown… it was also the day he had met her. It was hard to believe the same girl who had fought him and vowed to defeat him was now practically passed out in his arms. It was strange to see her so… vulnerable.</p><p>He wasn’t sure where on the base the barracks were located or even whether he could access them, so he decided it was best to wait near the entrance for someone to show up so he could leave her with them. But after fifteen minutes of waiting, he was starting to think that maybe everyone had already gone to bed or perhaps there was a way to the barracks that didn't go by the entrance at all.</p><p>He shook Tashigi a little, trying to wake her. “Hey, Glasses. Wake up. How do we get to your dorm?”</p><p>“Huh?” she mumbled, half-asleep.</p><p>“Your dorm, in the barracks. Or wherever you usually sleep.”</p><p>“Oh… it’s inside.” Half-dazed, she pointed to the entrance of the marine base then her head fell right back onto Zoro’s shoulder.</p><p>He sighed. He was worried that was the case. Even in the middle of the night, he wasn’t about to walk right into a military base. Especially with Smoker’s protegee out cold on his chest. It would be too much trouble.</p><p>As he was pondering his options, he felt her stir a little against him.</p><p>“Why are you helping me?” she murmured groggily, looking up at him. She didn’t look angry, or defiant. Just earnest. She had only ever looked at him like that once. Before she had found out he was a pirate, the first time that they had locked eyes and his heart had almost burst right out of his chest in shock at the resemblance. Why <em>was</em> he helping her? Because she looked like her? She was nothing like Kuina. She was impulsive, awkward and naïve. As bold as she was, she had a softness, a natural sincerity that Kuina, shrewd as ever, never possessed.</p><p>He felt his throat tighten up. He was instantly hyper-aware of how close her face was to his own. And how his hand was wrapped around her waist, still on the small of her back. </p><p>“Zoro?!” A voice exclaimed abruptly from behind him, snapping him back to reality. A young marine with pink hair was looking at him, eyes wide in astonishment.</p><p>“Koby? Oh, thank god.” He let out a sigh of relief. He had never been more glad to see him.</p><p>“Zoro, what are you doing here?” His eyes landed on Tashigi. “Why is Officer Tashigi with you? What’s wrong with her?” he asked, incredulously.</p><p>“She’s drunk. I… found her.” It sounded stupid even to himself. “Listen, Koby, can you take her to her dorm please? I can’t go in there.”</p><p>Koby was still looking at the both of them in disbelief but nodded anyway.</p><p>“Oh, and Koby” he added, “Don’t mention this to anyone else.”</p><p>As he walked back to the ship, Zoro decided that this was the very last time he was ever going to go out drinking in Water7.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you are re-reading, you've probably noticed I've changed the setting for this chapter. This was done in order for the chapters to make more chronological sense. When I had first written this, I hadn't intended for these drabbles to be connected, so I payed less attention to the chronology, but Water7 makes more sense timeline wise. I also realized Tashigi is actually not a Captain yet at this point, so I had to make a few edits. Anyway, thank you for reading xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Post-Alabasta. This is sort of my headcanon for Tashigi's background, until Oda gives us more (please).... this is what I've come up with. Also, the exchange at the end is partly inspired by a scene from something else, let a girl know if you recognize it ;)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It's been a long time since she’s been home, Tashigi thought to herself. Not since her father’s funeral. A whole year… it was remarkable how time flew by. It seemed like only yesterday that she had left her small village and joined the marines, eighteen and full of innocent idealism. She had been so excited, she recalled, to do some good in the world, to help people. Her heart gave a pang. Things were so different now.</p><p>Her hometown had always been so beautiful in the spring. Cherry blossoms in full bloom, the ocean clear as day. She had been the first one in her family to leave home before being married. The youngest of five girls, Tashigi had always felt the need to prove herself, to stand out. She was different from her sisters. Her sisters had all taken after her mother, who had impeccable taste and poise. Beautiful, elegant and artistic. She, on the other hand, was almost laughably different. She was a storm of brash words and awkward stumbles. Over the years, she had learned to be more subtle in her demeanour, to her mother’s great relief, but her short-temper and stubbornness meant that her younger, uninhibited self was never too out of reach.</p><p>She turned the doorknob of the front door of her parent's house. Unlocked, as usual. There was no need for that in their village, nobody was a stranger.</p><p>“I’m home!” She called out. No response. It was likely her mother was in the garden at this time of day. She stepped into the backyard to find her mother tending to the flowers. Gardening had been her father’s passion. It was not unusual for him to spend hours there, pruning his roses and gathering any vegetables that had ripened. Since his passing, her mother had more or less taken over the garden. Tashigi thought it helped her feel closer to him.</p><p>“Hi Mom,” she said from behind her.</p><p>Her mother turned around, her slightly startled face breaking out into a warm smile. “Tashigi! You’re home!” She laughed, wrapping her in a tight hug.  </p><p>“How are you, my dear? You’re looking a little tired” she said, her brow slightly furrowed in concern.</p><p>“It was a long journey. Didn’t get much sleep.” Truthfully, she didn’t get much sleep at all these days, but she wasn’t about to worry her mother with that.</p><p>Her mother slid off her gardening gloves heading back inside the house. “Well, did you want something to eat? I have some left-over curry from lunch.”</p><p>“I wanted to go see Dad first before it gets dark, if that’s okay.” It was already late afternoon when she arrived.</p><p>“Of course, why don’t you go do that and I’ll have dinner ready by the time you’re back. You’re staying the night, right?”</p><p>“Yes, but I’ll be leaving tomorrow. Smoker only gave me two days off.” This wasn’t exactly true. Smoker had actually been the one to insist she take time off and had even offered her a week, but she refused. Time off wasn’t what she needed. On the contrary, she thought, she needed to apply herself now more than ever. But Smoker had basically threatened her with dismissal unless she “took a break to get her head right”, so here she was.</p><p>The village cemetery was only a few minutes away from her home. She pushed open the cemetery gates, making her way to where her father's gravestone lay. Generations of her family had all been buried here, along with most of the other families in the village. She probably won’t be buried here, she thought. If she died in combat, which was likely, she would be buried at the nearest military cemetery. If they managed to recover her body, that is.</p><p>Her father’s grave was unfussy and traditional, much like he was himself. Her parents had never had much money. Just enough to get by. Before Tashigi was born, her father had been a military officer, a skilled swordsman and had made a decent salary. But he had injured himself on the job one day and could not resume his duties. After that, their family lived primarily off of the little land they owned and her father’s pension.</p><p>She placed a bouquet of periwinkles she had collected from the garden earlier on his grave. They were her favourite. When she told her father that years ago, sitting in the garden, he had replied “Well then, they are yours."</p><p>Her eyes filled with tears. She wondered if he was angry with her for not visiting for over a year.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Dad. It’s hard without you here.” Her voice broke. It wasn’t just work that was keeping her from coming back. She knew that if she came back, she would have to think about her father and whenever she thought about her father, she cried. She hated crying.</p><p>After some time, she finally left the cemetery. It was dark now and she was starving. When she returned, her mom had prepared an excellent meal, another thing Tashigi missed about home, and caught her up on all the new developments in her sisters’ lives and the town gossip.</p><p>“Well, enough about all that. How about you? How’s work?” Asked her mom, pouring her a cup of coffee.</p><p>“It’s… good” Tashigi attempted to fake a smile, but her mother saw right through it.</p><p>“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”</p><p>“It’s nothing… it’s just…” She felt a familiar frustration building up inside her. “Mom, am I a bad person?” she blurted out.</p><p>“Tashigi, what are you saying? Of course, you’re not.” Her mother looked worried now.</p><p>“I joined the marines so I could help people. And that’s what I thought I was doing. But what if… what if I’m wrong, Mom? What if everything I’ve been working for all these years isn’t really justice at all? I’m so… lost.” Again, tears welled up in her eyes. All the pent-up anxiety and fear she had been struggling with since Alabasta was pouring out of her and this time, she couldn’t stop it.</p><p>Her mother gave a deep sigh. “Listen to me, Tashigi” she said to her, seriously “You are <em>not</em> a bad person. You are a good person who’s been through some complicated things. Besides, the world isn’t split into good and bad people. Remember what I always say? Follow your heart and find your way back.”</p><p>Later that night, as she lay awake in her bed, her mother’s words echoed through her head… “The world isn’t split into good and bad people.”</p><p>Despite herself, the face of a certain green-haired swordsman swam to the surface of her mind.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Fight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Flashback chapter! Just my version of the classic Loguetown fight... that scene is so good I could cry. Enjoy! Please let me know your thoughts :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The rain fell hard as she ran, obscuring her vision, but Tashigi was determined. She wasn’t going to let him get away. Two other men were with him, running in the direction of the harbor, but they barely registered. This was between her and the bounty hunter only.</p><p>She cried out, “Roronoa Zoro. You lied to me!”</p><p>That got his attention. He turned to face her and to her dismay, he was actually smirking. “Lied? You just didn’t ask my name, that’s all.”</p><p>She could feel herself shaking in anger. She immediately pulled out her sword and instinctively, he reached for his own too.</p><p>“I-… I won’t let you!” She was going to fight him, if that’s what it took. “You don’t deserve that sword. I won’t let a criminal like you have the Wado Ichimonji!”</p><p>He raised his eyebrows. “Well then… you’ll have to try and take it from me, won’t you?”</p><p>She barely let him finish his sentence. Rushing forward, she thrust her blade, meeting his with a sharp clang. She released, attempting to swing but he met her head on with what she could not deny was tremendous skill. This was peculiar, she thought. She had never known bounty hunters to possess any sort of real technique.</p><p>As their swords met for a third time, his face quirked in what seemed like surprise for a moment but quickly turned, even more infuriatingly, into a grin. He turned to the other two men who were watching from behind them, “You guys go on ahead, I have to take care of something.”</p><p>He reached for his other sword. So, he was finally going to take her seriously, she thought. Tashigi knew, however, that a second sword did not necessarily mean an advantage. She was not yet physically strong enough to wield a second blade, but her speed and agility were often assets in battles against more brawny opponents. She ducked and dodged, challenging both of his swords, the sound reverberating in her ears. She had miscalculated - he was even more adept with the pair of them together. She went on the defence, evading his attacks. They clashed over and over, her Shigure desperately trying to counter the weight of two blades now. Then suddenly, almost failing to notice she was so busy blocking, she found herself cornered against the wall. She struggled, but he had wedged his knee between her legs, trapping her. Her Shigure flew out of her hands and he swiftly stabbed the Wado Ichimonji forward, inches from her face.</p><p>His dark eyes bore into her own, a hint of amusement present but still highly intense in their resolve. “I’m sorry, but I can never let you have this sword.”</p><p>That was it, she had lost. She braced herself for the final blow.</p><p>But it never came. Instead, he returned both his swords to their sheaths and turned to leave.</p><p>Rage bubbled up inside of her. Before she knew it, she was yelling “Why won’t you finish me off? Is it because I’m a woman?” She was <em>tired</em>. Tired of being underestimated, tired of being cast aside, not even rewarded the dignity of a true defeat. “Don’t you dare humiliate me! You would never understand the pain of being born a woman! This isn’t just a game to me, Roronoa!”</p><p>When he turned back to look at her, she was shocked to see he was also angry. In fact, he was yelling right back. “Your very existence annoys me!” To Tashigi’s utter bewilderment, he was so flustered he was tripping over his words, “You-… you… not only do you look like her, but you talk like her too! Don’t go imitating other people, you copycat woman!”</p><p>This only incensed her further. What was he talking about? Did he think this was some kind of joke? “What? How dare you! I don’t copy anyone! I’m my own person! I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I won’t let you forget who you’re dealing with!” </p><p>He looked like he was about to retort when an enormous gust of wind blew by, knocking them both to the ground. Tashigi attempted to get back up, but the wind continued to blow even more furiously, and it was all she could do to avoid colliding with various objects that were caught in the gale. Next thing she knew, she was several feet away from where she stood previously and Roronoa Zoro was nowhere to be found.</p><p>No matter, she thought. They were going to meet again, she was certain of it. And when they did, she was going to do everything in her power to make sure that that sword was no longer in the hands of a criminal.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Dream</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A short one, but it was all I managed. Enjoy x</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was in his arms again. And she was laughing. A soft, sparkling laugh that brought a warmness to his chest and a smile to his lips. Her raven hair gleamed under the light of the sun. He felt his fingers push back a stray strand that fell into her face. He wanted to see all of her, soak it all in. He ran his hand through the back of her hair, but all of a sudden, he flinched at an unwelcome, cold sensation traveling down his fingers. Her hair was wet. His clothes were wet too. It was no longer sunny and warm, it was raining, hard. She was still there, he realized. But she wasn’t laughing anymore. She was facing him, weapon ready, fury etched beautifully all over her face.</p><p>“I won’t let a criminal like you have the Wado Ichimonji!” She lunged at him fiercely, barely missing as he ducked backwards.</p><p>He wanted to say he wasn’t a criminal, not the way she thought he was. But the words escaped him. He couldn’t seem to make a sound. He reached for his own sword, but then, just as abruptly, he was no longer looking into her dark eyes, but the vastness of the night sky, riddled with stars. They were eerily alike, he thought. It wasn’t raining anymore. He was comfortable and dry. Moments passed before he sat up, only to find Kuina sitting cross-legged in the grass in front of him.</p><p>“What’s on your mind, Zoro?” This felt familiar. He was ten years old again and he was still naïve, not yet jaded like he was now. He spoke easily.</p><p>“Do you think I’m a criminal?”, he asked.</p><p>“You’re a swordsman first, Zoro. Everything else doesn’t matter.” She replied, simply.</p><p>She was right of course, but for some reason he still felt uneasy.</p><p>Kuina raised an eyebrow knowingly. “It isn’t me you want to hear that from though, is it?”</p><p>Zoro jerked awake in the pitch black of the cabin. His heart was pounding, and he was breathing heavily. Her again, he thought, wiping the sweat off his brow. It was the second time this week that he had woken up frantic, sweaty and somewhat frustrated. It was also the second time that he had dreamt about her. He was annoyed that she took up any space in his head at all, let alone during his precious sleep, but ever since the bar incident in Water7, his rapport with the marine had been undeniably off. He’d find his thoughts drifting to her occasionally when he was bored or contemplating her whereabouts when he spotted marine officers on the various islands they frequented. Then, she started appearing in his dreams, all soft laughter and bright eyes… That was enough, he thought. He had to get a grip. He steadied his breathing as his heart resumed a normal pace. He had never once cared what anyone thought of him and he certainly wasn’t about to start now.</p><p>He couldn’t afford any distractions. Especially ones with a face he would never be able to forget.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I like to think that deep deep down in the depths of his sub-conscious, Zoro cares a little what Tashigi thinks of him ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Heal - Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Alright so this is part 1 of this drabble/story, I will post the second part as soon as its written. I wasn't planning on making it two parts, but it ended up being longer than I intended and I decided to just post this first part to motivate me to write the rest lol.<br/>Timeline wise, this is still pre-Punk Hazard, but I'm going to take creative license and assume Tashigi is already leading the G5 with Smoker despite not being ~officially~ promoted to Captain yet. Somewhere in the Grand Line.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tashigi’s joints ached. She had been crouched down for almost half an hour now, waiting for them to show up. She knew those bastards were coming. She was certain this was where they made their exchanges. It was a simple crime, really. Kidnap a child for ransom money and if authorities were alerted, the child would be killed. The arrival of the G5 to the island meant increased monitoring of the village, so local gangs were getting more desperate. They no longer marched boldly into homes and town shops demanding money, it was too risky. No, they were more discrete now, but also more reckless. Blackmailing, kidnapping children and elderly relatives and threatening to kill anyone who spoke a word of it. Tashigi had suspected something was happening. The villagers seemed more tense than usual. People avoided being outside for too long and children were ushered indoors long before dark. At first, she chalked it up to the arrival of winter and colder weather, but she knew something was seriously wrong when weeks passed without any arrests or sightings of gang members who had been identified in the last few months. They weren’t in custody and G5 troops were monitoring every port of exit on the island day and night. They couldn’t have fled. So, where were they? It was like they had disappeared off the island completely.</p><p>Finally, earlier in the week, they had found a lead. One of her men had reported a hidden cave deep in the forest during their searches. It was concealed by tall trees with large leaves and thick branches, but easily recognizable once it had been pointed out. Upon further investigation, they had found what looked like a notebook. Damp from humidity and partly damaged, but undeniably the coloring book of a young child. They were very careful not to give away the fact that they had discovered the cave. Only a select few were aware of the exact location and all other troops were ordered to stay away from that general area of the forest. Every day, Tashigi and the chosen marines hid in different spots in the surroundings, camouflaging best they could and waiting. Waiting for something to happen, for someone to show up. They were running out of time. It was possible the perpetrators had realized that they were watching by now or perhaps they were smart enough not to return to the same sites more than once. But Tashigi was hopeful. She knew they were desperate for cash now that their normal tactics were out of the question, and there were a limited number of places on the island that were this secluded. She suspected the exchanges were probably held early in the morning or after dark, to avoid any suspicion.</p><p>It was nearing sunset and she had barely moved or spoken a word since sunrise. All was quiet, except for the occasional bird or squirrel. Until suddenly, a distant noise caught her attention. A rustling of leaves and what sounded like footsteps. No, multiple footsteps. She turned to look at the two soldiers stationed next to her, silently raising a finger to her mouth. They knew not to act until she gave the signal.</p><p>“Do you see him?” A gruff, male voice asked. Tashigi spotted a tall, brawny man leading the way, with what looked like a sword strapped around his middle. She could tell it was nothing of quality, just cheap scrap metal.</p><p>“Looks like the old git’s running late” A second man, skinny and small with a shaggy head of hair, followed. He was holding the hand of a young girl, maybe seven or eight years old, who was looking around frantically for a sign of the family member who was meant to come exchange her for a large sum of money. But Tashigi knew they weren’t coming. She had ordered G5 soldiers to discreetly monitor every route from the village to the forest and prevent anyone from entering.</p><p>“Guess no one’s coming for you after all, little brat,” sniggered the shaggy-haired one, grinning nastily at the little girl.</p><p>“Don’t joke about that. You know how pissed boss is going to be if we've got nothing to show for,” said the larger man, shooting a glare at his partner.</p><p>Tashigi looked over at the girl, who was frozen in fear, and felt a wave of cold fury wash over her. It was time they intervened. She was about to make the signal when she heard another pair of footsteps approaching. She froze. Had her men failed to stop whoever was coming to make the exchange? Or worse, had gang members realized what was happening and killed them before they could stop anything?</p><p>A man came into the clearing. Tall, green-haired, with a sword in his right hand and two others on his hip, still in their sheaths. Her jaw dropped. It couldn’t be.</p><p>“Who the hell are you?” The large man turned to face the intruder, one hand already reaching for his own weapon.</p><p>“I could ask you the same thing” replied the green-haired swordsman casually.</p><p>Tashigi could feel the eyes of her subordinates boring into her back. She turned her head back and silently mouthed <em>do not move</em>. She could not risk botching this operation, which was now a thousand times more complicated because of <em>his </em>arrival. What was he doing here anyway? How did he manage to insert himself into everything all the time?</p><p>“So, you’re not here for the brat?” asked the scrawny one.</p><p>Zoro glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows as he noticed for the first time the child staring at all of them wide-eyed, more terrified than before. He seemed to have put the pieces together in his head. He reached for his second sword on his left hip.</p><p>“Well… I guess I am now.” He charged after the large man, who stood no chance with such poor form and an even more pitiful weapon. His blade went flying almost immediately. He tried to throw punches, but Zoro blocked him at every turn. The fight, if you could call it that, was ending soon.</p><p>“Use it, Eiichi!” grunted the bigger man, who had fallen to his knees after Zoro aimed a blow at his legs.</p><p>The second man reached for his pockets and pulled out what looked like a grenade. He threw it in Zoro’s direction and covered his and the girl’s mouth with a cloth. By the time Zoro had realized what had happened, a thick cloud of pink gas had erupted right in front of him. Tashigi covered her mouth and nose with her shirt. She had seen this before, it was candy smoke. Sickly sweet smelling and extremely effective. It was notoriously difficult to acquire since the World Government banned its use and sale many years ago, but could be found in the black market if you knew where to look. She signaled to her men; they had to act now before the perp made a run for it. Zoro would be out in seconds. However, as she stood up, she saw to her surprise, that the pirate was still standing.</p><p>“Was that supposed to do something?”</p><p>The shaggy-haired man was panicking. “W-what? Why aren’t you…”</p><p>Zoro didn’t let him finish. He aimed a swift blow at his stomach, knocking him to the ground instantly.</p><p>“Assholes” muttered Zoro. Then, turning to the little girl, he said “Alright kid, let’s get you back to-” but he never completed his sentence because he promptly passed out cold, inciting a screech of horror from the little girl who was now the only one left still standing.</p><p>Tashigi sighed. This was going to be a long night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope it wasn't boring, let me know what you think of the idea and whether you are interested in reading more?? Thank you for reading x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Heal - Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Part 2 where Tashigi makes some controversial decisions.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Continuation of the last chapter. Enjoy x</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“But, Captain… it’s Pirate Hunter Zoro!” exclaimed the G5 soldier, dismayed.</p><p>Tashigi groaned, “I know.”</p><p>“He’s part of the Straw Hat crew, they could all be here, we should be looking for them!” She had called back the other team who were keeping watch on the other side of the cave for assistance, but was starting to regret that decision.</p><p>“I am <em>well</em> aware of that, Pike. Arrest those two and take them back to base. Bomba, you take the girl back to the village and get her a doctor. I will take care of the pirate and I will report directly to Smoker myself. If any of you as much as breathe about any of this to anyone, I’ll slice those loose tongues of yours right off. Those are my final orders.” She was not normally this harsh, but she didn’t have time to be negotiating with her subordinates.</p><p>The G5 soldiers exchanged bewildered looks but said no more on the subject.</p><p>Tashigi made her way to where Zoro lay unconscious. She would have to move him. She needed somewhere where she could prop him up on his back. And somewhere less conspicuous. Her best bet was the cave itself.</p><p>She attempted to lift him onto her shoulders, but this proved to be virtually impossible. He was heavier than he looked, and those three swords did not help. She proceeded to drag him by his feet. He would probably be left covered in bruises, but she had no choice. Once she had made it to the cave, with great effort, she managed to place him in a sitting position with his back to the cave wall. Then, she got to work. Candy smoke was a fast-acting poison. Within twenty minutes or so, blisters would start forming on the victim’s chest. Within an hour, it would wreak havoc on the lungs. However, the remedy was just as effective as the poison itself. If administered early enough, it could prevent any serious damage. Tashigi always carried a dose with her, as did most marines on this island, since local gangs were notorious for using the gas. She pulled out the vial from her pocket. A shiny, deep blue liquid. She had never taken it herself, but heard that it was revoltingly bitter tasting. Gently, she pried open his mouth and administered the liquid, lifting his head up by the chin to make sure it traveled down his throat. Then, she unbuttoned his shirt to check for blisters. Surely enough, a few had formed. They were bound to be painful and it was best to bandage them in case they popped and risked getting infected. At that moment, he stirred, coughing madly.</p><p>“What… the <em>hell</em> is that?” Zoro’s voice was hoarse, and his face was screwed up in disgust.</p><p>“Don’t spit it out!” She warned. “It’s a remedy!”</p><p>He looked up at Tashigi in confusion. “Why are you here?” He looked down at his bare chest and his eyes widened. “Where’s my shirt? Where are my swords?” Then, comprehension dawned on his face. “This is a dream, isn’t it? This isn’t real.”</p><p>“What?” She had never heard of mental confusion as a symptom of candy smoke poisoning, but maybe he was worse off than she initially thought. “Calm down, your swords are right next to you. And no, do you not remember? You were fighting those two criminals when one of them hit you with a smoke grenade.”</p><p>“Oh, right, I remember.” He seemed to have calmed down after locating his swords. “When did you get here?”</p><p>“Actually, I was always here. You compromised an important investigation, Roronoa. You were lucky that G5 soldiers were stationed nearby or the gas would have caused some serious damage by- <em>don’t</em> pick at them!” He was poking at the blisters on his chest with mild curiosity. She pulled his hand away. “Hold still.” Tashigi pulled out a jar from her pocket and started dressing the wounds with a clear gel.</p><p>Zoro flinched and pulled back at her touch. “That hurts, woman!”</p><p>“If you’d hold still, it wouldn’t hurt as much!” she retorted sharply.</p><p>“If you and your precious marines were competent, I wouldn't be injured in the first place…” he mumbled under his breath.</p><p>“Well, if you hadn’t butted in out of nowhere, I could have done my job!” Why was he being so difficult? She was helping him for heaven’s sake.</p><p>He looked like he wanted to say something in return but didn’t and complied to holding still while Tashigi silently dressed his wounds. They sat in silence for a moment as she worked.</p><p>“Why are you helping me?” His tone wasn’t accusatory or distrustful. Just curious.</p><p>“You saved that little girl. You didn’t have to do that,” she replied, simply. "And I owe you one, after Water7." </p><p>He looked away from her, breaking her gaze. “Yeah, well… they were bastards,” he muttered quietly. </p><p>Tashigi laughed loudly at this, “Something we can both agree on.”</p><p>He still didn't meet her eye. "I didn't think you remembered. Water7, I mean."</p><p>"I don't remember much but I know you got me back to headquarters somehow. Again, you didn't have to do that." She had been beyond mortified the next morning. All she could recall was drinking and then feeling surprisingly warm and...safe. She blushed despite herself. </p><p>He didn't say anything in response, but quietly watched her bandage his chest with a small roll of gauze she had brought with her. She broke the silence this time. “What were you doing in the forest, anyway?”</p><p>He shrugged. “Walking.”</p><p>Somehow, this wasn’t convincing.</p><p>She pressed on. “What about the rest of your crew? They must be somewhere on the island, I’m assuming?”</p><p>He raised his eyebrows skeptically at her. “I’m not telling you that, who knows what you would do with that information?”</p><p>“What, you don’t trust me, Roronoa? I just saved your life. I could have easily brought you back to the marine base where they would have left your body to be ravaged by the poison.”</p><p>He was silent for a moment before he spoke. “Thank you, by the way. For helping me.” He sounded sincere.</p><p>Tashigi’s cheeks flushed. “I didn’t do it just for you, you know. Someone once told me to follow my own sense of justice.”</p><p>Zoro chuckled. “That’s some good advice.”</p><p>“Yeah, it is.” She stepped back to admire her work, “All done. But you’ll need proper care from a real doctor. You should probably take antibiotics to prevent the blisters from getting infected.” She stood up. “Well, I guess this is goodbye.”</p><p>“How do I know you won’t follow me?” he asked, suspiciously.</p><p>Tashigi rolled her eyes. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll leave first, and you can make sure I’m long gone before you step out.”</p><p>He grinned. “That would make me feel better. I guess I’ll see you around, Glasses.”</p><p>“You should hope not. I’m arresting you next time, Roronoa.”</p><p>It was his turn to laugh.</p><hr/><p>When Tashigi got back, she found Smoker in his office pouring over paperwork. Likely the report from today’s arrests.</p><p>“I let him go,” she admitted. She supposed he would know what she was talking about. If there was something Pike feared more than Tashigi’s threats, it was Smoker.</p><p>“I figured.”</p><p>“You’re not angry?” she asked. She was expecting to be reprimanded. This was the second time she had deliberately let a Straw Hat walk free.</p><p>“Why would I be angry? You stopped the exchange from happening, arrested those two bandits and returned the child safely to her family. By that definition, the mission was a success.”</p><p>Tashigi smiled to herself. His decision to look the other way, while some might think misguided, was his way of telling her he trusted her.</p><p>“Thank you, Sir.”</p><p>“You can thank me by finishing up this paperwork. And get some sleep because tomorrow, we’re raiding their base. It didn’t take those cowards long to spill.”</p><p>She nodded and sat down to complete the report, stifling a yawn. She was tired and anxious to get to bed. For the first time in a long time, she thought she might just sleep a little better tonight.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hope you caught the reference to the dream chapter (chapter 4) and the date night chapter (chapter 1) ;)<br/>Thank you for reading, please leave a comment if you liked it (or didn't, that's fine too).</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Changes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>My contribution for Zotash month 2020, based on the one-word prompt "change"... not super satisfied with this, but I've been a little uninspired lately so it's all I could manage for now! Also features a certain curly-browed cook! Enjoy x</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Still pre-Punk Hazard timeline wise</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was simply procedure, Zoro thought to himself.</p><p>He always scouted out the islands they visited, taking note of any marine presence and keeping an eye out for any other suspicious characters. He made mental note of important landmarks, namely pubs and bars, lest they ended up staying overnight in which case he may endeavor to treat himself to a drink.</p><p>And this, he thought as he surveyed marine headquarters from a distance, was no different. The fact that a certain bespectacled marine happened to be at this very location had nothing to do with it.</p><p>He had been crouched there for quite some time now, adequately camouflaged by large leaves of neighbouring trees, watching what seemed to be a training session. If you could even call it that. Glasses was tearing through every soldier who dared challenge her, only stopping from time to time to give pointers on form and technique.</p><p>Her form, he had to admit, was faultless. This wasn’t the only time he had noticed this. He recalled Loguetown when he had first seen her draw her Shigure. He had foolishly thought she needed help, when she swiftly cut down the two bandits with one blow. And later when she had brashly challenged him, he noted how smoothly she had drawn her sword once again – something which he had always struggled to master himself. Her technique had always been superior to his in some ways, and it seemed as if it had only improved since their last encounter. He often wondered where she had learned it. This certainly wasn’t the result of self-study and marine officers may be skilled, but they had no knowledge of true swordsmanship. No, she must have learned from someone well-versed in not only the technique but the way of the sword as well.</p><p>She looked different too, taller. Her hair was longer now, making her look older. Not only that but she seemed more confident, more sure of herself and it was clear that her subordinates respected her. Authority suited her.</p><p>He smiled to himself. To say he had a rocky relationship with authority would be an understatement.</p><p>“What are you smiling at like that, moss head?” Sanji had suddenly appeared behind him, breaking his train of thought and startling him a little.</p><p>“None of your business, Ero-cook.”</p><p>Sanji peered over his shoulder at the scene below them. “Oh, so it’s her,” he said knowingly.</p><p>Zoro avoided meeting his eye, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”</p><p>Sanji rolled his eyes. “Right and let me guess you’re just <em>scouting</em> the surroundings for threats and that’s why you’ve been obsessively watching the marine base for the last twenty minutes?”</p><p>Had it really been that long? “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing actually and you all should be glad I do because nobody else seems to think it’s important…” He huffed impatiently, could he have even a moment of solitude without being interrupted?</p><p>“What do you think I’m doing here, stupid? And you can get off your high horse because you just end up getting lost every single time, so it’s not like you’re any real help.” Sanji retorted, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.</p><p>“I do <em>not</em>.” Zoro muttered under his breath but said no more on the subject. The last thing he wanted was to be heard by anyone nearby, especially any marines.</p><p>They stood there for a few minutes, Zoro still watching while Sanji smoked next to him.</p><p>“What is it about this girl, anyway?” Sanji asked, his tone more serious this time.</p><p>“She remin-” He was about to say she reminded him of someone. Of Kuina. But that was no longer true, was it? It may have been the case at first, but things had changed. Despite the resemblance, he had acknowledged long ago Tashigi was nothing like Kuina and had expected his curiosity about her to end there.</p><p>“I-… I don’t know.” He replied, honestly.</p><p>Sanji simply nodded before putting out his cigarette and turning to leave. “Just don’t get lost on your way back, Marimo.”</p><p>“Shut up, eyebrows” he rebutted, nevertheless following his lead back to the ship, reluctantly pulling his eyes away from the raven-haired marine who occupied more and more of his thoughts lately.</p>
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